Semiconductor amplifier

ABSTRACT

A first power source  11  for supplying a bias voltage to a gate electrode G of a field effect transistor  13 , which amplifies high-frequency signals, and a second power source  15  for supplying a bias voltage to a drain electrode D of the field effect transistor  13  are provided. The protective resistance  12  is connected between the gate electrode G of the field effect transistor  13  and the first power source  11 , and the bias voltage controller  14  is connected between the drain electrode D of the field effect transistor  13  and the second power source  11 . Further, a voltage detector  16  is connected between both ends of the protective resistance  12  to detect a voltage drop generated between both ends of the protective resistance  12 , when a rectified current flows to the gate electrode G from the drain electrode D of the field effect transistor  13.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation application of U.S. Ser. No.11/148,168, filed Jun. 9, 2005, which issued as U.S. Pat. No. 7,262,668,and claims the benefit of priority from prior Japanese PatentApplication No. 2004-172186, filed Jun. 10, 2004, the entire contents ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a semiconductor amplifier using asemiconductor amplifying element.

In a semiconductor amplifier for amplifying a high-frequency signal suchas microwave, a field effect transistor (hereinafter, called as an FET)is used as an amplifying element. In a semiconductor amplifier using anFET, a rectified current flows between a drain electrode and a gateelectrode of the FET in the reverse direction so that the gate electrodemay be damaged when a large high-frequency signal is input. Therefore,in a conventional semiconductor amplifier, a protective circuit isprovided to suppress the rectified current flowing between a drainelectrode and a gate electrode of the FET in the reverse direction.

Here, a conventional semiconductor amplifier provided with a protectivecircuit will be explained referring to a circuit diagram shown in FIG. 1using a Schottky junction FET for example. A variable voltage powersource 21 has a positive side terminal 21 a and a negative side terminal21 b, wherein the positive side terminal 21 a is grounded. The negativeside terminal 21 b is connected to a minus (−) end 22 a of a protectiveresistance 22. The other end 22 b of the protective resistance 22 isconnected to a gate electrode G of FET 23. The FET 23 has the gateelectrode G, a drain electrode D and a source electrode S, wherein thesource electrode S is grounded. The drain electrode D is connected tothe positive side terminal 24 a of the constant voltage power source 24and the negative side terminal 24 b of the constant voltage power sourceis grounded.

Further, an input terminal IN is connected to the gate electrode G andan output terminal OUT is connected to the drain electrode D.

In the circuit described above, a high-frequency signal is input throughthe input terminal IN and is amplified by FET 23. The high-frequencysignal amplified is output to the output terminal OUT.

Further, a semiconductor amplifying circuit provided with a protectivecircuit to protect an amplifying element from being damaged by therectified current between the drain electrode and the gate electrode isalso disclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Disclosure No.H8-222967.

In the conventional semiconductor amplifying circuit, a large negativevoltage is applied to the gate electrode G, in which a negative voltagesupplied from a variable voltage power source and a negative peakvoltage of input signal are superposed with each other, when a largehigh-frequency signal is input. At this time, the drain-to-gateelectrode voltage of FET 23 becomes large and the rectified currentflows between the drain electrode D and the gate electrode G in thereverse direction as shown by the arrow Y. At this time, the gateelectrode of FET 23 may be damaged by the rectified current and thereliability of the semiconductor amplifying circuit is lowered.

However, in the case of the circuit configuration shown in FIG. 1, thevoltage drop is generated between both terminals of the protectiveresistance 22 when the rectified current flows, since the protectiveresistance 22 is connected to the gate electrode G of FET 23 As aresult, voltage applied to the gate electrode G of FET 23 increases andthe gate-to-source electrode voltage becomes small by approaching 0V.Thus, the damage of the amplified element is prevented.

However, when an FET for large power is used as an amplifying element,the voltage drop is generated between both terminals of the protectiveresistance 22 and the drain-to-source electrode current increases whenthe gate-to-source electrode voltage becomes close to 0V. Therefore, FET23 is thermally damaged due to an increase of the power consumption ofFET 23 and the reliability of the semiconductor amplifying circuitdrops.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide asemiconductor amplifying circuit that is capable of preventing anamplifying element from being damaged and to improve the reliability ofthe circuit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A semiconductor amplifying circuit according to an embodiment of thepresent invention includes a semiconductor amplifying element having afirst electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode for amplifyinga high-frequency signal that is input to the first electrode and isoutput to the third electrode, a first power source to supply a biasvoltage to the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element,a second power source to supply a bias voltage to the second electrodeof the semiconductor amplifying element, a protective resistanceconnected between the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifyingelement and the first power source, a voltage detector for detecting avoltage generated between both terminals of the protective resistance,and a bias voltage controller connected between the second electrode ofthe semiconductor amplifying element and the second power source forcontrolling the bias voltage supplied to the second electrode of thesemiconductor amplifying element based on an output signal of thevoltage detector.

Further, a semiconductor amplifying circuit according to the embodimentof the present invention includes a field effect transistor equippedwith a gate electrode, a drain electrode and a source electrode, a firstpower source for supplying a bias voltage to the gate electrode of thefield effect transistor, a second power source for supplying a biasvoltage to the drain electrode of the field effect transistor, aprotective resistance connected between the gate electrode of the fieldeffect transistor and the first power source, an NPN transistorconnected between the drain electrode of the field effect transistor andthe second power source, a first differential amplifying circuit todetect a voltage generated between both ends of the protectiveresistance, and a second differential amplifying circuit for applying acontrol voltage generated based on an output signal of the firstdifferential amplifying circuit to a base electrode of the NPNtransistor.

In the semiconductor amplifying circuit described above, the rectifiedcurrent flowing in the reverse direction between the electrodes of theamplifying element is suppressed by a protective resistance. Further,when rectified current flowing in the reverse direction is generated,voltage generated between both ends of the protective resistance isdetected and the bias voltage supplied to the amplifying element islowered by a bias voltage controller. Accordingly, the thermal damage isprevented from being generated on the amplifying element and thereliability of the element is improved.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing an example of a conventionalsemiconductor amplifying circuit.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing a semiconductor amplifying circuitaccording to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be explained below referringto a circuit diagram shown in FIG. 2. A first power source, which is,for example, a variable voltage power source 11 has a positive sideterminal 11 a and a negative side terminal 11 b, wherein the positiveside terminal 11 a is grounded and the negative side terminal 11 b isconnected to one end 12 a of a protective resistance 12. The other end12 b of the protective resistance 12 is connected to a gate electrode G.The FET 13 has the gate electrode G, a drain electrode D and a sourceelectrode S, wherein the source electrode S is grounded. The drainelectrode D is connected to a positive side terminal 15 a of a constantvoltage power source 15, which is a second power source, through a biasvoltage controller 14. A negative side terminal 15 b of the constantvoltage power source 15 is grounded.

Further, a voltage detector 16 is connected to both ends of theprotective resistance 12. The voltage detector 16 is composed of adifferential amplifier 17 having a plus input terminal 17 a connected toone end 12 a of the protective resistance 12, which is on the side ofthe variable voltage power source 11. A minus input terminal 17 b of thedifferential amplifier 17 is connected to the other side 12 b of theprotective resistance 12, which is on the side of the gate electrode G.An output terminal 17 c of the differential amplifier 17 is connected tothe bias voltage controller 14.

The bias voltage controller 14 is composed of a voltage set-up circuit141 and a level shift circuit 142.

The voltage set-up circuit 141 is composed of an NPN transistor 18. Thetransistor 18 has an emitter electrode E, a collector electrode C and abase electrode B. The emitter electrode E is connected to the drainelectrode D of the FET 13 and the collector electrode C is connected tothe positive side terminal 15 a of the constant voltage power source 15.

The level shift circuit 142 is composed of a differential amplifier 19.The differential amplifier 19 has a plus input terminal 19 a and a minusinput terminal 19 b, wherein the plus input terminal 19 a is connectedto an output terminal 17 c of the differential amplifier 17. The minusinput terminal 19 b is connected to a negative power source 20, whichprovides minus input terminal 19 b with a negative voltage. The outputterminal 19 c of the differential amplifier 19 is connected to the baseelectrode B of the transistor 18, that is a control terminal of thevoltage set-up circuit 141.

Further, an input terminal IN is connected to the gate electrode G ofthe FET 13 and an output terminal OUT is connected to the drainelectrode D of the FET 13.

Here, the operations of the semiconductor amplifier described above willbe explained.

When a high-frequency signal input through the input terminal IN issmall, the drain-to-gate electrode voltage of the FET 13 is small andthe rectified current does not flow between the drain electrode D andthe gate electrode G. In this case, the voltage drop by the rectifiedcurrent is not generated between both terminals of the protectiveresistance 12. Thus, the output of the voltage detector 16, that is theoutput at the output terminal 17 c of the differential amplifier 17becomes 0. The output is applied to the plus input terminal 19 a of thedifferential amplifier 19 of the level shift circuit 142.

Negative voltage is applied to the minus input terminal 19 b of thedifferential amplifier 19. Accordingly, a positive voltage, for example,is output to the output terminal 19 c, which is an output voltage of thedetector 16 being shifted by a specified level. The positive voltage isapplied to the base electrode of the transistor 18 that is a controlterminal of the voltage set-up circuit 141 and the transistor 18 isplaced in the operating state. Then, a positive bias voltage is suppliedto the drain electrode D of the FET 13 from the constant voltage powersource 15.

The high-frequency signal, which is input through the input terminal INunder this state, is amplified by the FET 13 and output to the outputterminal OUT.

On the other hand, when a high-frequency signal input through the inputterminal IN becomes large, the negative voltage supplied from thevariable voltage power source 11 and negative peak voltage of the inputsignal are superposed with each other and the drain-to-gate voltage ofthe FET 13 becomes large. At this time, the rectified current flows inthe reverse direction as shown by an arrow mark Y.

When the rectified current flows, the voltage drop is generated betweenboth ends of the protective resistance 12 and the gate-to-sourceelectrode voltage of the FET 13 becomes small, by decreasing close to0V, for example. Therefore, the rectified current becomes small and thedamage of the gate electrode of the FET 13 is prevented from beingcaused. However, in a case, for example, where an FET for large electricpower is used as an amplifying element, the drain-to-source electrodecurrent of the FET 13 increases when the gate-to-source electrodevoltage becomes close to 0V.

In the circuit structure described above, however, the voltage drop isgenerated between both ends of the protective resistance 12, when therectified current flows, and this voltage drop between both ends isdetected by the voltage detector 16. At this time, the voltage at theother end 12 b of the protective resistance 12 becomes higher than thevoltage at the end 12 a and the output of the differential amplifier 17drops. Accordingly, the output of the differential amplifier 19 becomessmall and the control voltage applied to the base electrode B of thetransistor 18 that is the control terminal of the voltage set-up circuit141 drops. As a result, the voltage of the emitter electrode E of thetransistor 18, that is a bias voltage supplied to the drain electrode Dof the FET 13, drops and the current flowing between the drain andsource electrodes decreases. With the operations, the power consumptionof the FET 13 is suppressed and the thermal damage of the FET 13 isprevented from being caused.

According to the circuit configuration described above, the increase inthe rectified current between the drain and gate electrodes is preventedfrom flowing by a protective resistance connected to the gate electrodeof the FET. Further, the increase in the drain-to-source electrodecurrent that becomes a problem when a protective resistance is connectedis suppressed by the operations of the voltage detector and the biasvoltage controller thereby the thermal damage of the semiconductorelement being prevented.

Further, in the embodiment mentioned above, the bias voltage controlleris composed of the NPN transistor 18. In this case, when the controlsignal applied to the base electrode B of the transistor 18 becomessmall, the resistance between the emitter electrode E and the collectorelectrode C of the transistor 18 substantially increases. Therefore, thecurrent flowing into the drain electrode D of the FET 13 decreases andthe drain-to-source current becomes small.

The present invention is not restricted to the embodiment describedabove but can be modified variously as described below.

For example, a semiconductor amplifier using a field effect transistoris explained as a semiconductor element in the above. However, thisinvention is also applicable to a semiconductor amplifier using abipolar transistor as an amplifying element.

Further, the negative bias voltage is applied to the gate of the fieldeffect transistor. However, this invention is also applicable to operatethe amplifier by applying positive bias voltage to the gate.

1. A semiconductor amplifier comprising: a semiconductor amplifying element, having a first electrode, a second electrode, and a third electrode, configured to amplify a high-frequency signal that is input to the first electrode and to output an amplified signal to the second electrode; a first power source configured to supply a first bias voltage to the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element; a second power source configured to supply a second bias voltage to the second electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element; a third power source configured to supply a negative voltage; a protective resistance connected between the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element and the first power source; a voltage detector for detecting a voltage generated between two terminals of the protective resistance; a differential amplifier having a first input terminal connected to the voltage detector and a second input terminal connected to the third power supply, the differential amplifier being configured to output a control voltage based on the negative voltage supplied from the third power supply and an output signal of the voltage detector; and a bias voltage controller, connected between the second electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element and the second power source, configured to control the second power source bias voltage to be supplied to the second electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element based on the control voltage output from the differential amplifier.
 2. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor amplifying element includes a field effect transistor.
 3. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 2, wherein the field effect transistor is a Schottky junction field effect transistor.
 4. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the bias voltage controller includes a bipolar transistor.
 5. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 4, wherein the bipolar transistor is composed of an NPN transistor.
 6. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the voltage detector includes a differential amplifier, a minus input terminal of which being connected to the protective resistance on a semiconductor amplifying element side and a plus input terminal of which being connected to the protective resistance on a first power source side.
 7. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 1, further comprising: an input terminal connected to the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element, wherein the high-frequency signal is input from the input terminal to the first electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element; and an output terminal connected to the second electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element, wherein the amplified signal output to the second electrode of the semiconductor amplifying element is output from the output terminal.
 8. The semiconductor amplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first power source is a variable voltage power source. 